Purpose:Percutaneous radio-frequency ablation is a minimally invasive treatment option for osteoid osteomas. The ablation process is straightforward in the more common locations like the femur/tibia. Surgery has historically been the gold standard, but is currently used in lesions, that may not be effectively and safely ablated, i.e. close to skin/nerve. Radio-frequency ablation can still be used in such cases along with additional techniques/strategies to protect the sensitive structures and hence improve the outcomes. The authors describe their experience with four challenging osteoid osteoma ablation cases.Methods:We retrospectively reviewed radio-frequency ablations of four osteoid osteomas in rather atypical locations, the protective techniques/strategies employed, the adequacy and safety of the radio-frequency ablation with the use of these techniques.Results:All patients had complete resolution of pain with no recurrence in the follow-up period. No complications were reported.Conclusion:RFA has been proven to be an effective and safe option for treatment of OOs in the common locations. It is generally recommended to have a 1 cm safety margin between the RF probe and any critical structures in the vicinity. However, with OOs in atypical locations this may not be always possible and hence additional techniques may be needed to ensure protection of the surrounding sensitive structures and also allow for effective ablation.
Background: Inferior vena cava (IVC) filter placement still plays an essential role in preventing pulmonary embolism (PE) in patients with contraindications to anticoagulant therapy. However, IVC filter placement does have long-term risks which may be mitigated by retrieving them as soon as clinically acceptable. A dedicated IVC filter clinic provides a potential means of assuring adequate follow-up and retrieval. Aim: To assess the efficacy of our Inferior vena cava (IVC) filter retrieval clinic at improving the rate of patient follow-up, effective filter management, and retrieval rates. Materials and Methods: During the period of August 2017 through July 2018, 70 IVC filters were placed at our institution, and these patients were automatically enrolled into our IVC filter retrieval clinic for quarterly follow-up. We retrospectively reviewed data including appropriateness for removal at 3 months, overall retrieval rates, removal technique(s) employed, and technical success. Results: 62.9% of the potentially retrievable filters were removed during the study period. The technical success of extraction, using a combination of standard and advanced techniques, was 91.7%. Overall, 15% of the patients were lost to follow-up. Conclusion: Our findings add to the growing body of literature to support the need for a robust IVC filter retrieval clinic to ensure adequate follow-up and timely retrieval of IVC filters.
Background:
Mechanical thrombectomy plays an important role in the management of acute pulmonary embolism (PE), either when rapid clot dissolution is needed or when thrombolytics are contraindicated. We describe our clinical and technical experience with the FlowTriever mechanical thrombectomy device in patients with acute PE.
Materials and Methods:
A retrospective analysis was performed on all cases of acute PE treated with the FlowTriever device at a single tertiary care hospital system during the trial period (November 2019–January 2020). Technical and clinical results, including complications, are reported.
Results:
Technical success was achieved in all eight successive cases (seven cases of submassive and 1 case of massive PE). Mean pulmonary artery pressure (MPAP) improved significantly after mechanical thrombectomy (27.8 ± 6.4 mmHg preprocedure; 20.5 ± 3.8 mmHg postprocedure; 7.3 ± 5.2 mmHg decrease after the procedure;
P
= 0.016). Hemoglobin levels did not change significantly after mechanical thrombectomy (11.8 g/dl ± 3.4 preprocedure; 9.9 g/dl ± 2.1 postprocedure;
P
= 0.20). Reduction in MPAP was achieved in 88% of cases (7/8) and hypoxia improved in all the nonintubated patients (7/7). Mortality observed in one patient with a massive central PE, was not related to the procedure. No mortality or procedural complications were observed in patients with submassive PE.
Conclusions:
The positive initial clinical experience and safety profile using the FlowTriever in the treatment of acute PE suggests, it has the potential to fill the unmet needs of a good mechanical thrombectomy device to treat massive and submassive high-risk PE especially when thrombolytics are contraindicated.
Pelvic trauma, especially in the setting of hemodynamic instability, results in high rates of morbidity and mortality. Proper management requires rapid identification of injured structures via appropriate diagnostic studies. This review primarily focuses on the initial evaluation of pelvic trauma, the vascular territories within the pelvis, angiographic and imaging findings of vascular pelvic injury, classification of pelvic injuries, and treatment of pelvic trauma.
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